The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Why I don’t have a cabinet yet – Ganduje

    Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has revealed that the delay in constituting his cabinet is as a result of his desire to carry along all the different parties and groups that contributed to his second term mandate. The governor explained that the process of nominating Commissioners in his second term is taking a lot longer time, due to the emergence of different forces that supported him during the 2019 election. Speaking during a foreign Hausa Radio programme, monitored in Kano, Ganduje, promised to unveil the names of the prospective Commissioners soon.

    “Some of my former commissioners will be re-nominated while others will not. However, those that are not returning, as commissioners will still be accommodated in the government.” he said. To this end, it was learnt that, political considerations appeared to have made it difficult for the governor to form a cabinet. In 2015, Ganduje ran for election as a candidate of the Kwankwasiyya group within the APC. It was therefore easy for the group to agree on their nominees for commissioners even before Ganduje took the oath of office.

    Read Also: Kano singer arrested for cricitising Gov Ganduje gets bail

    However in 2019, running as the head of his own Gandujiyya faction, Ganduje needed the support of other political blocs in order to defeat the Kwankwasiyya candidate after the group decamped to the opposition PDP. Among the frontline politicians, who threw their weight behind Ganduje’s ambition, include a serving Senator and former governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, former deputy governor, Prof Hafiz Abubakar and a host of some notable Kwankwasiyya and PDP members, who decamped in protest against the alleged high-handedness of the group leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

  • Birnin Gwari killings will end soon – Senator Sani

    Senator Uba Sani representing the Kaduna Central zone has assured that, the security challenges bedeviling Birnin Gwari area of Kaduna State will soon become history.

    Senator Sani said President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Nasir El-Rufai and himself were not resting on their oars to ensure that the situation in the area is brought to normalcy.

    He stated this at the end of his ‘thank you’ tour of the seven local government areas that make up his constituency, where he reassured the people that they made the right choice electing him.

    According to him, “Birnin Gwari is dear to my heart. It is a strategic gateway to the southern part of Nigeria. The insecurity in the area is quite disturbing and all hands must be on deck to arrest it. Governor Nasir El-Rufai and President Buhari are not resting on their oars to ensure that the situation in the area is brought to normalcy,” he said. He then expressed delight that the measures put in place were yielding results. The constituency tour which he said was in fulfillment of his campaign promises, kicked off at Birnin Gwari where he interacted with the people regarding their needs and concerns.

    He stressed in each of the places he visited, that he was there purposely to thank them for their continued support, while expressing his readiness to expeditiously address their issues and concerns. The second phase of the Senator’s tour commenced with Kaduna South Local Government from where he proceeded to Kaduna North, Chikun, Igabi, Giwa and Kajuru Local Government Areas where he held interactive sessions with traditional and community leaders, religious leaders, party executives, youth and women groups.

    “The people are enthusiastic, willing, focused and totally committed to my goal of turning the constituency around. I appreciated them for the roles they played towards the success of the APC at the last elections. I pledged to work closely with stakeholders in the local governments to address issues of insecurity and youth unemployment. I will also pay serious attention to the empowerment of women,” he said.

  • Yellow fever: Bauchi to vaccinate 500,000 residents

    No fewer than 500,000 residents of Bauchi State will be vaccinated against the dreadful outbreak of yellow fever in the Alkaleri and Tafawa Balewa local government areas of the state.

    Governor Bala Mohammed disclosed this at the flag-off of aerial mosquitoes and reactive vaccination in response to the outbreak of Yellow fever, held at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi.

    Mohammed said this is part of the proactive measures taken by his administration in safeguarding the lives of residents in the state against the deadly disease.

    Read Also: Bauchi vows to tackle yellow fever

    The Governor, who also kicked off the aerial spraying of Quella birds, pledged the determination of the present administration to remain focused to its responsibilities especially in terms of effective response to agriculture and health challenges in the state.

    He explained that, the aircraft is expected to visit about 38 roasting sites across the state within one week, and identified invasion of Quela birds in farmlands. The governor said N200 million has been paid by the state government as counterpart funds to the Mellinda and Bill Gates and Dangote Foundations.

    “Despite the state of emergency in the health sector, indices such as the rates of infant and maternal mortality are worrisome. I have therefore given marching order to the Honorable Commissioner for Health to convene a Health Summit to enable us know the gaps,” he stated. The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Alh.Sama’ila Burga, added that the agricultural policy launched by the governor would address the challenges facing farmers and agriculture.

  • Hope for IDPs, refugees as commission boss visits camps

    As part of his needs assessment tour of strategic locations, the new Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs, Senator Basheer Garba Mohammed, during the week, visited the internally displaced peoples’ camp in Yola, Adamawa state. Speaking during the visit, Mohammed said, “no child should be left behind. No family should be without humanitarian assistance. Working together, we can, and we will make a difference in the lives of all troubled people in Nigeria.”

    Mohammed told newsmen that following needs assessment of the critical IDP camps, it is obvious that there is much to be done by the commission. “I have met with, and learnt firsthand about the challenges that our IDPs are facing in these camps. I have also spoken with many of the humanitarian workers, to get their views on what needs to be done. Clearly, the issue of coordination and overlapping functions is a major challenge. Additionally, the issue of mapping the specific needs of the various camps for targeted interventions will be necessary. When I get back to Abuja, my team and I will be meeting with technical experts from the federal government, and our international partners like the European Union; the World Bank; USAID; and the United Nations – to figure out how we can effectively map out the complex matrix of Nigeria’s humanitarian response to this IDP crisis.

    “At the camps, we were able to distribute health supplies; educational items; and food. As we work to rehabilitate the people of this camp, we have come here with empowerment items like machines and fertilisers. These instruments will help to make the farmers amongst the IDPs in this camp more self-sufficient as they gradually, but surely reintegrate back into society. Again, I thank the people of Adamawa for the warm reception, and I look forward to coming back to examine the progress that we have made in the near future,” he said.

  • Northern Governors commission N793m NNDC mall

    As part of commitment to tackle the issue of underdevelopment bedeviling the Northern region, Chairman of Northern States Governors’ Forum and Governor of Platueau State, Simon Lalong has commissioned N793 Mall in Kaduna. The mall was built by northern conglomerate, the New Nigerian Development Company (NNDC). Commissioning the three-storey mall on Muhammadu Buhari Way, Lalong, accompanied by other northern Governors, expressed optimism that such investments would better the lives of the people. He however commended the Board and Management of the company for the initiative.

    Chairman Board of NNDC, Tanimu Yakubu, said the company which was initially known as the Northern Regional Production and Development Board, (NRPDB) was established in 1949 to spearhead the economic and social development of the then Northern region. He disclosed that the decision to develop the ultra -modern shopping Mall; a three-story edifice with state-of-the-art facilities, was part of a 5-Year Strategic Plan of the company and was solely financed 100 per cent at the total cost of N793m by the NNDC.

  • Environment: Assembly holds stakeholders’ meeting

    Worried about the growing environmental challenges across the state, the Majority Leader of the Lagos state house of Assembly (LSHA), Hon. Sanai Bolanle Agunbiade, has called on all residents in the state to cooperate with government on the environmental laws of the state and be more committed to efforts aimed at preserving the environment. He said this at the annual stakeholders’ meeting which took place at the TSSDC hall, Owutu, Ikorodu, Lagos state. Agunbiade is the member representing the constituency in the state assembly.

    Speaking during the meeting, Agunbiade noted that the stakeholders’ meeting is meant to involve various groups and communities in the decision making process of government. The theme, “Environmental Challenges: Community Engagement to Facilitate Lasting Solution”, he said, is an avenue to collectively find solutions to the lingering threats of environmental challenges across the state. Traditional rulers, community leaders, clerics, council chairmen, party leaders, elected and appointed public office holders, and residents of the constituency, all graced the event.

    Read Also: Flood alert: Makinde to inaugurate environmental tribunal

    Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Adewale Shotobi, in his submission, urged government to work harder on the agencies saddled with waste management. He lamented the state of the roads in Ikorodu where refuse is now disposed indiscriminately. He was represented by Agbaakin Adewale Elesho. Other speakers at the event include Oba Bashir Sotonwa, Sekumade of Ipakodo, Sheikh Sherifudeen Olowooribi and the Iyaloja of Ikorodu, . They all attested to the timeliness of the discourse, urging the residents to become more conscious of their environment.

    The gathering resolved that government should promptly attend to the bad roads in the constituency and also provide drainages where necessary while also improving on waste management. It was also agreed that residents of the area should abide by old and new environmental laws in the state and support government in the fight against environmental hazards. Agunbiade, who appreciated the people for always believing in him, promised to relay all the decisions taken at the parley to the assembly.

  • Advocacy group asks Lagos to increase budgets to health sector

    Lagos State government has been tasked on increased budgetary allocation to the health sector as well as full and timely release of allocated budget to the sector.

    This was said by the Executive Director, Child Health Advocacy Initiative (CHAI), Elizabeth Alonge during an Advocacy Visit  by NGOs in Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health at Scale ( PACFaH@Scale) Project in Lagos State to the Office of the Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Professor Akin Abayomi

    Alonge who spoke on behalf of PACFaH@Scale Project in Lagos State, commended the State for achieving a feat in maternal and child health in  Nigeria as a state with the highest percentage (29%) of women using modern planning and the lowest percentage of children under 5 years (1.7%) in the country, among others.

    Her words “ Lagos State government is also exemplary in working closely with NGOs in the health sector and in making public statement about the continuing health challenges in the state. However in 2018, Lagos State allocated N92.5 Billion (9% of the total budget to the health sector) but released only N27.4 Billion which was 29.6% of the allocated sum” said Alonge.

    The group therefore requested for the following: Increased partnership funding for family planning and routine immunization; re introduction of health volunteer’ scheme;

    Increased budgetary allocation to the health sector, among others.

    Responding, the Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Prof. Akin Abayomi reiterated Governor Babajide Sanwoolu’s  commitment to the  health  sector. He said, “our Governor has made health issue his primary concern, he understands clearly that Primary Health Care System is the backbone of Lagos Health Scheme”.

    Professor Abayomi pointed out that despite the feat achieved by the state in the health sector, a whole lot still needs to be done in the area of adequate health delivery to the vulnerable in the state

  • Flood: Stop dumping refuse in wrong places, lawmakers tell constituents

    Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Lagos Mainland constituencies 1 and 2, Honourables Ibrahim Owolabi and Moshood Oshun, have assured constituents that they will do all in their power to ensure that the government comes to their aid in tackling environmental challenges. They both spoke at the Lagos State House of Assembly constituency stakeholders meeting which held simultaneously in all the 40 constituencies in the state during the week

    Speaking at the the Mainland local government venue at Oyingbo, Owolabi said the constituency is a commercial hub with lots of trading activities and big markets with a huge population which is responsible for large amount of waste in the area as well as drainage problem. He however appealed to his people not to dump refuse indiscriminately urging them to use the appropriate channel to dispose their waste so that it would be easy to cart away the refuse by those saddled with that responsibility.

    Speaking in the same vein at the Yaba local council development area venue of his constituency meeting, Oshun who is the chairman, ad-hoc committee of the Assembly on environment said the committee’s tour of some parts of the state revealed that even when government is clearing the drains, citizens were blocking them with refuse especially empty water bottles and sachets, they dump them inside gutters, adding that “we are the ones doing ourselves and we all have to reprimand anybody we see doing that”.

    Both lawmakers appealed to their constituents to comply with the environmental laws of the state “and embrace attitudinal change and join hands with the government in a renewed commitment to preserve the environment.” They said, “the stakeholders’ meeting is also to involve our various communities on how we can re-orientate ourselves on the need to properly handle our environmental challenges to rid Lagos of its recurrent waste challenges.”

    “How the communities can come up with suggestions and bring an end to the lingering threat of environmental challenges which we believe would be achieved. They therefore urged their constituents to stop indiscriminately dumping of refuse on streets, drainages, and major highways in the state “because it has hazardous impact of environmental challenges in the state”. Owolabi spoke on his primary healthcare programme with focus on malaria and diabetes which are the major health issues faced in his constituency.

    “Diabetes and malaria are the biggest issue we have in this constituency. One, it is due to the way that we eat. Second is that all the stagnant water are breeding mosquitoes. Hence, we have more people infested with malaria due to more mosquitoes we have. This is why we run free healthcare programmes to ensure that people remain healthy”, Owolabi said.

  • Stop politicising killing of FUOYE students, Ekiti elders warn politicians

    The Ekiti Council of Elders has appealed to Nigerians to desist from politicising the killings of two students of the Federal University Oye Ekiti.

    Two FUOYE’s students were on Tuesday shot during a violent protest in Oye Ekiti, where the convoy of the Ekiti’s First Lady, Erelu Bisi Fayemi was attacked.

    In a statement signed in Ado Ekiti yesterday by the Council’s Chairman, Prof Joseph Oluwasanmi, the group warned politicians against exploiting the situation that are mournful to play blame game as a political tool.

    The Council expressed sadness over the killing of two undergraduates  of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti during a protest on Tuesday.

    The senior citizens appealed to the police to be more professional while discharging their duties and handling sensitive crisis situation, to avert bloodshed.”The council is grateful to God for sparing the life of the First Lady, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, officials and journalists on her entourage during the crisis.

    “We call on the students and youths generally to eschew violence in all ramifications in expressing their grievances . Also, there was need for the Nigerian Police to be  more professional in handling issues of this nature”, the council stated.

    The Council, however, commiserated with the state government and families of those who lost their lives during the protest.

  • Osinbajo to commission Ondo South electricity after 12 years black-out

    After 12 years of power outage in Ondo South, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) has said that within the next few weeks its electricity would be reconnected by the organisation.

    The Executive Director of the company, Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele gave the assurance while speaking with reporters yesterday in Akure, the state capital.

    According to him, all is now set for the re-commissioning of electricity restoration projects in the area. Oyedele said the restoration of electricity supply had been completed in communities like Ajagba, Igbokoda, Okitipupa and Igodan Lisa (OSUSTECH) while rehabilitation of Ore- Okitipupa 33KV line had equally been completed.

    He also said that work was on-going on rehabilitation of Okitipupa to Ilutitun 11KV through Ikoya, rehabilitation of Igbotako to Ilutitun 33kv line through Ijuodo, and the rehabilitation of Ore to Irele 33kv line.

    The Executive Director said residents of the southern part of Ondo state who have been in total darkness for the past 12 years would smile as the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is expected to commission the electricity projects soon.

    Read Also: Why Mugabe stood out as a leader, by Osinbajo

    Oyedele stressed that electricity restoration projects was through the efforts of the federal government. He said” it is now certain that the people of the area will have power supply because the job have been completed. Right now what we are doing is re-commissioning test, our work is to restore power supply.

    “This project were conceived by the Vice President, designed by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company and awarded to contractors that have passed the test and it has nothing to do with any individual, state, local government or politics”, he said.

    It would be recalled that over 1,000 communities in the six local government areas of the district had been without power supply following an alleged indebtedness of the electricity consumers in the senatorial district.

    But, the Executive Director said he was not aware of any debts owed by individuals.

    Oyedele also disclosed that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had signed an agreement with the Disco in supplying meters to all customers across the country.